AFTER more than a year in the doldrums, tourism in the coastal Mabini Town, known as the “birthplace” of scuba diving in the Philippines, is enjoying a rebound with visitors returning to see the beautiful seaside scenery and explore rich species underwater. “Thankfully, the pandemic is being handled well, and the cases are in a downward trend. As you can see, tourists are pouring into Mabini nowadays,” Florian Bueno, Mabini municipal tourism officer, told Xinhua. Famous for crystal clear azure water, Mabini, a resort town of some 70,000 inhabitants located in Batangas Province, south of capital Manila, is a favorite weekend destination for foreign and domestic tourists. Before the pandemic struck, Mabini had been attracting over 500,000 tourists annually, of which about 30 percent comes from abroad, mostly from Asia and Europe. The tourism sector significantly contributes to the economy of Mabini, helping to provide thousands of jobs for residents. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the tourism sector in Mabini, slashing foreign arrivals and displacing service workers. With cases down and the vaccination rate up, more and more places in the Philippines have recently eased restrictions on public activities. Intercity travels for leisure and reopening of over 100 resorts in the town, therefore, became possible. “We are now allowed to reopen with 50 percent capacity to people fully vaccinated. And still, we have to observe health safety guidelines strictly,” said Ike Moreno, general manager of a resort in the town. “Tourists keep coming, and they must make an early reservation for diving and other recreational facilities,” he added. Earlier this month, Bueno’s municipal tourism office launched a long-awaited nationwide promotion campaign via traditional and social media, hoping to attract more domestic travelers to Mabini. According to Bueno, more than 80 resorts are now operating, and a few dozens are ready to reopen. “Both the local and national governments are promoting programs to support the revitalization of the tourism industry. We will adopt all the health safety guidelines set by the government while helping the city rebound from the pandemic,” said Bueno. With most of the tourism workers inoculated, the Philippines will soon allow the entry of fully-vaccinated foreign tourists from China and 43 other “green” or low-risk COVID-19 countries and regions, vowing it is “more than ready to provide visitors with a safe and pleasant experience.” According to the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) plan, fully vaccinated tourists will be welcome and whisked straight to tourist destinations without the need for hotel quarantine. Aside from the sun and beach tourist destinations that the country is well-known for, the DOT also spotlights new and enhanced bike tours, dive circuits, farm and food tourism circuits, hiking and trekking, and outdoor museums through historical and cultural tours, among others. The DOT said these activities cater to tourists’ “new normal” preference for outdoor activities and well-ventilated areas. (Xinhua) | 